GU construction projects moving toward completion
Published: March 27, 2024
Author: Dave Bell
Work is progressing at both construction sites on the Greenville University campus.
At the new 246-bed residence hall on College Avenue, work on the exterior of the building is nearing completion and the focus has shifted to interior work. Drywall work, painting, and installing flooring and cabinets are under way throughout the building, with work progressing from the lower floors to the upper floors.
Breck Nelson, chief economic development director, said in late March that the interior work on the building should be finished in May, and furniture is scheduled to arrive in June. When the final details of the building’s exterior are done, workers will focus on retaining walls, sidewalks, and final grading. Landscaping is scheduled to be completed in June, he said.
The state-of-the-art fitness center, located on the ground floor facing College Avenue, will be the last area to be finished. Equipment for the center has been ordered and is expected to arrive in June.
“The residence hall is turning out even nicer than I anticipated,” Nelson said. “The rooms are large, there is lots of natural light, and the views are spectacular. The upper floors are served by high-speed elevators and three stairwells.”
Rooms are arranged in pods, with four students sharing two bedrooms, a bathroom, two sinks, and a living area.
At the John Strahl Athletic Complex, located a mile south of the Greenville University main campus, interior and exterior work is continuing on two primary buildings, as well as restrooms, a concession stand, and a four-story press box. The materials for the 500-seat bleachers have arrived, but assembly won’t begin until the other parts of the project are closer to completion.
The buildings are named after two late GU presidents, W. Richard Stephens and Robert “Ish” Smith. The Stephens Fieldhouse, which will include several locker rooms, is currently being dry-walled and painted. The Smith building is being plumbed and dry-walled. It will include GU historical displays, an event room with three large doors that open to the football field and track, and concrete patio areas overlooking the football and baseball fields.
